Semper Fortis
by PottertheOtter
Summary: Harry is taken hostage at Malfoy Manor instead of Hermione. Will they ever be able to admit their love for each other? Read on to find out! Rated for mentions of intense violence, and for scenes that may take place later on...
1. Chapter 1

**Semper Fortis**

**Chapter 1**

**AN: This is a little story I've had running through my mind as I was writing for Harry Potter and the Leap of Faith, and since I've had a BAD case of writer's block, I thought this would help me get past it. I've read about two other stories based off of this idea, but that's it. They inspired me, but I can't remember who wrote them. In this story, Ron came back, but he and Hermione are as distant as ever, and things between him and Harry are strained. Also, Hermione WAS NOT so distraught when Ron left. That's all I'm giving you before you actually read the dang thing. (Also, sorry about the long wait for ANY update from me. Family vacations, Marching Band, and now school have all been keeping me busy. I literally just opened my laptop and found this story on here from the end of June. Hopefully, once I get re-acclimated to school, I'll be able to continue both this and Leap of Faith. Until then, I thought you guys might want something to read and know that I'm alive.)**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER, IT BELONGS TO JK ROWLING AND HER PUBLISHING COMPANY AND WB MOVIE STUDIOS. I WISH I FRICKIN OWNED IT, THOUGH. BUT NOPE.**

"Take the prisoners to the dungeons, except for the Mudblood. I think I'll have a little fun with her before our master arrives." Bellatrix LeStrange said, her eyes brimming with madness as she looked at Hermione Granger. Ron Weasley looked terrified and was hyperventilating. Harry Potter's mind was frantic, thinking of all the possible ways out of this scenario, trying to find a way to save Hermione Granger, the woman he realized that he loved during their fifth year in Hogwarts. He only came up with one solution.

"No! Stop. It's me. You've got me. I'm Harry Potter. I got hit with a stinging hex." Harry shouted, raising his eyes up to his captors in defiance. One of the Death Eaters at hand quietly cast the counter for the hex. Hermione was crying, knowing that Harry had just sacrificed himself to save her from pain. She knew he was going to pay for it dearly. She and Ron watched as Bellatrix turned her disturbing gaze to Harry, making her way slowly over to him.

"So it is. The Boy-Who-Lived. The child that can supposedly defeat my Lord. How disappointing you are, boy." She spoke with venom in her voice, hatred seeping out of her as she closed in on Harry. Suddenly, she lashed out with her hand, slapping him across the cheek, her nails leaving deep scratches across his cheek. Harry's breathing faltered as he sucked in a hiss of pain. He looked up at her and smirked through the pain, trying to provoke her and make her forget about Hermione.

"Yes. I've defeated your master no less than five times, and yet one of his loyal dogs is the one to get me. How pathetic of him." With that, Harry spat at Bellatrix, hitting her squarely in the face, sticking out his chin defiantly as he hid his growing fear from everyone, including himself. The Death Eater holding Harry pulled his arms back tighter, making them bend in an uncomfortable angle behind his back.

Hermione sobbed harder, feeling helpless as she watched the man she had loved since their fourth year in Hogwarts sentence himself to his most likely demise. Ron just shook with fear, not wanting to look at the scene that was unfolding before him. The Death Eaters holding them started to drag them away, wanting to get out of the room before Bellatrix exploded. There was no telling if she'd lash out at them, too. Though Ron and Hermione fought to stay with their friend, the Death Eaters were much too strong for them. Harry looked on with sadness in his eyes, knowing that it may be the last time he saw either of them.

Bellatrix LeStrange's face twisted into a mask of fury as she stepped back from Harry, wiping her face. She took out her wand and motioned for the person holding Harry to move away, leaving him in just the restraints on his wrists.

"CRUCIO!" she shouted, her wand leveled at Harry. He dropped to the floor, his body feeling as though every nerve-ending was on fire, writhing. But, he refused to scream. Not yet. He wouldn't give her that satisfaction just yet.

The spell went on for a full minute, and to Harry, it seemed to last a lifetime. Bellatrix cancelled the torture curse and cut the bindings holding back his hands. She walked over to kick Harry in the ribs onto his back and cast a limb stiffening curse, rendering Harry unable to escape.

"Well, wee Potty, it seems like I must teach you a lesson on proper manners." Bellatrix said, taking a knife out of her pocket. "You see this pretty knife? It really is something. Made of silver and has a lovely curse put onto the blade. It makes sure that the scar it creates doesn't fully heal. A personal brander, I like to call it. I'm going to test it out on you, little boy." She continued. Harry looked at the knife as his body twitched in the aftereffects of the Cruciatus Curse. He moaned slightly, feeling every bit as powerless as Bellatrix undoubtedly intended.

Bellatrix stood over him, poised as if an artist considering their canvas before creating a work of art. Finally, she smiled with a deranged twist of her lips, showing that she'd thought of what she would do. "Well well well, Potty, you're in luck. Or not. Depends how you see it, I guess." She laughed, her madness radiating off of her. Harry shuddered slightly, wondering what she was going to do. "I've finally figured out what to brand you with. I'm going to mark you for what you are; a FILTHY HALFBRED!" she screamed the last, breathing heavily.

She bent down over his left arm, her knife poised, and started carving into him. Harry couldn't hold it anymore; he screamed. The sharp pain of the knife cutting into his already damaged nerves, courtesy of the Cruciatus Curse, was too much.

Bellatrix cackled as she carved, satisfied with his lapse in control. When she finished, she took out the knife and stabbed it down through Harry's hand, all the way through to the floor. He screamed louder, gasping at the pain radiating through his arm. He looked at it and wanted to vomit at the image. The knife was sticking out of his palm, the blood welling up around it. His forearm was bloody, but he could make out the words carved onto his arm: Filthy Halfbreed. He gagged slightly, only to scream again as the Cruciatus was once more cast on him. It was held for many moments, making Harry scream himself hoarse. After it was lifted, Bellatrix pulled the knife out of his hand, only to slam it into his thigh. Harry couldn't even scream at this point. He was fading fast, and knew that he needed to be rescued fast or he wasn't going to make it.

Hermione fought against her restraints, trying to get out of the grip of her captor, but the grip on her arms only tightened. Ron was in much the same predicament as she. Suddenly, she heard Bellatrix shout "CRUCIO," and she knew that Harry was going to be tortured thoroughly before the Death Eaters even called Voldemort, should the trio not be able to escape. She sobbed at the thought that such a kind, brave, loyal, intelligent yet terribly dense person like Harry would be subjected to such monstrous acts. She knew that she loved him, and she wished that she had told him so before any of this. She might not get the chance to, now.

The Death Eaters shoved her and Ron into a cellar which had been turned into a dungeon of sorts. They locked the barred door and walked away, leaving Ron and Hermione there. The cellar wasn't too far away from where Bellatrix had Harry that they couldn't hear everything. Hermione felt like she could hear Harry's heartbeat if she really tried. She heard his labored breathing, his obvious struggle to keep from moaning in pain.

"Well, wee Potty, it seems like I must teach you a lesson on proper manners." She heard Bellatrix say, the madness dripping off her voice, making Hermione shiver. She looked over to Ron and saw his form, stiff with fear. 'Useless. Absolutely useless.' She thought, scanning around for an escape as the monologue of Bellatrix LeStrange continued. "You see this pretty knife? It really is something. Made of silver and has a lovely curse put onto the blade. It makes sure that the scar it creates doesn't fully heal. A personal brander, I like to call it. I'm going to test it out on you, little boy." Hermione stopped, her stomach plummeting. She wanted to retch at the mere thought of the crazed woman carving Harry. Suddenly, she saw movement in the shadows, farther down the cellar.

Cautiously, Hermione made her way over to the shadow, making out the forms of four people. She recognized three of them immediately. "Luna, Dean, and Mr. Ollivander?" she asked slowly. All three looked up along with a goblin. "Are you all okay?" she asked.

"If we were all okay, would we be here?" the goblin answered with a sneer. Dean immediately glared at it and answered Hermione as though the goblin never said anything.

"I guess as okay as we can be. What are you doing here? You got captured, too?" he asked, disheartened. Hermione began to nod, but suddenly heard something she never wanted to hear. She heard Harry screaming. She sobbed and nodded. She needed a plan. She needed to help Harry. And just as she thought this, an idea formed in her brilliant mind. She softly called for the one being that would be able to help them escape. Suddenly, there was a pop, and Dobby was standing in front of her.

"Miss Grangey! Dobby has come to help Mister Harry Potter Sir and his friends!" Dobby said, bouncing on his feet, though not with excitement but anxiety. He wrung his hands and ears, clearly nervous to be in the house of his old masters again and scared for Harry.

Steadying herself from the fright of an elf appearing in front of her, Hermione immediately leapt into action, asking Dobby to take the others somewhere else. Ron interrupted and said to bring them to shell cottage, where Bill and Fleur live. She also told Dobby to get their wands and belongings that were confiscated, and Dobby nodded. He took hold of the other four prisoners, disapperating out of the cellar. Hermione felt her heart filling with hope, though she could still hear Harry screaming. Suddenly, it stopped, and she heard the sound of a knife being taken out of flesh and stabbing down again, and she realized that Harry hadn't even made a sound. Hermione silently urged Dobby to hurry, feeling that they were running out of time.

Dobby reappeared and Hermione and Ron wasted no time, taking his hand and telling him to reappear in the room where Harry was. With a pop, they were there. Hermione gasped as Ron paled at the sight of their friend. His left arm was bloody, his hand having a hole in it, and there was a knife sticking out of his right thigh. His muscles were twitching with the aftereffects of the Torture Curse, and he was obviously slipping in and out of consciousness. This was all taken in within a second as their focus turned to Bellatrix, the crazed woman staring at them with surprise.

Thinking quickly, Hermione pulled Ron and Dobby over to Harry, grabbing them all and telling Dobby to disapperate. In an instant, they were gone, leaving behind a furious Bellatrix LeStrange.

**AN: And that's the end of chapter 1! Again, sorry for such a long Hiatus from , but Family and school must come first. I hope you all enjoyed reading this. Please leave a review if you have the time. They are usually really interesting to read. Thank you for all your patience, everyone! Hopefully, I'll be able to update Leap of Faith within the month of October. Hopefully. Alright, have a lovely day! Yours Truly~ PottertheOtter**

**P.S. Oh, sorry, I almost forgot. Semper Fortis means Always Strong. Just thought you guys would enjoy knowing what the title means. ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Along a shore, on the coast of France, the pristine tranquility was shattered by the arrival of four beings. One was a tiny elf, one had red hair, the third was sobbing heavily, and the last was a gory mess. They appeared on the sand, the blood that leaked from the injured member of the party staining the white grains a deep crimson red. The others hurriedly moved to him.

"Ron, you have to go get Bill and Fleur. NOW." Hermione ordered, taking charge of the situation immediately. Ron nodded and sprinted off to find them, leaving her and Dobby with Harry. "Dobby, we need to stop the bleeding. If he bleeds much more…" she didn't finish, choking back a sob to keep her head. She needed to stay calm to help Harry. Dobby nodded his head in understanding, summoning gauze with a snap of his fingers. Hermione heard Ron leading his brother and Fleur to their position. She brushed back Harry's hair from his forehead, checking his face for any damage besides that of the nail marks that Bellatrix left from slapping him. Satisfied that there wasn't she looked up to see the horrified faces of the newcomers.

"Bill and Fleur live at Shell Cottage." Bill said emotionlessly, allowing Hermione and Dobby to see the house as Fleur brought her hand to her mouth and her eyes widened with horror. She quickly snapped out of it, though, and muttered in French as she moved towards the body in front of her. Acting quickly, the others gathered around Harry, Bill levitating him as they all moved to the cottage.

Once inside, they put him on a couch in the living room, Fleur moving into the kitchen to gather supplies. She came back with more gauze, potions, rags, and a bowl of water. Dobby removed the gauze he had hastily wrapped around Harry's forearm and hand, the white already stained red, allowing the French witch to clean the wounds. Bill looked at the knife protruding from Harry's leg, trying to decide how best to remove it. Finally, he reached over and grabbed the hilt, pulling it out quickly.

The, until then, limp and unresponsive Harry screamed in pain, jerking away slightly. Hermione quickly stunned him, not wanting him to move as they worked on him in case he made it worse. She heard Fleur gasp, causing her to look over at Harry's arm. She immediately wished she hadn't.

There, on his forearm, was crude handwriting, branding him with the words _Filthy Halfbreed._ Hermione's eyes welled up, remembering Bellatrix's monologue. Would these hideous scars really never fade? She couldn't bear seeing Harry, _her _Harry, branded for the rest of his life. She looked at his hand and saw the clear hole in it. She couldn't believe that Harry had endured this. He didn't deserve this. No one did, but _especially _not him. She vowed right then that if… no, _when_ Harry got better, she would tell him her feelings. She couldn't hold them back any more. She could only hope that he returned her feelings, but if he didn't, then at least she put them out there.

Fleur gently poured some blood replenishing potion down Harry's throat and massaged it so that he would swallow as Dobby tearfully rewrapped his arm. Bill looked at the knife he had just extracted from Harry's leg, and then turned to Hermione.

"Hermione, is this knife what I think it is? It looks like it has runes and a curse placed on it that causes any scarring caused by it to never fade. This is dark, Hermione. Like, _really_ bloody dark." Bill trailed off, his eyes back on the blade before looking up again.

Everyone in the room was silent. Bill, Ollivander, Dean, and the Goblin looked at Hermione. Ron looked down, his hands folded in front of him. The only sounds that permeated through the room were Fleur and Dobby's movement as they worked on healing Harry's injuries. They had already finished working on his forearm, and Dobby was stitching Harry's thigh as Fleur used her wand to close the hole in Harry's hand, leaving a deep cut in its wake. She sighed at this, and rubbed a salve onto the cut before wrapping it in gauze. She then put an adhesive bandage on the cuts on Harry's cheek. After she finished, she joined the others in staring at Hermione, waiting for her answer.

"It is. Bellatrix LeStrange used it on him. She used that and the cruciatus." Hermione said, her eyes downcast. The others gasped at this, looking back down at Harry.

* * *

Darkness. Darkness and pain were all Harry knew. The darkness was so absolute that it was blinding. The silence that came with it was deafening. He swam through the darkness, trying to find something, anything, to hold on to. Suddenly, his vision flickered, and muffled sounds, voices, came into existence. Words jumbled together, some piecing themselves into parts of sentences.

"Bill and Fleur…."

"Stop the bleeding…."

"Shell Cottage…"

Then, he felt an unholy pain that brought him straight through the hazy voices and flickering darkness, making him scream at the top of his lungs. Then, he knew nothing as red flooded him.

* * *

Hermione kept her eyes downcast at the continued silence, focusing on the still form of Harry instead of looking at the others around her. She felt bad for stunning him, but she knew it was necessary in case he hurt himself further by moving. He'd already lost _so much_ blood. Taking a deep breath as these thoughts swarmed her mind, she again looked up.

The faces around her all varied slightly in their expressions, yet they still held the same general emotions; shock, anger, and disbelief. Hermione looked at Ron, hoping for some sort of support to continue the story, but he kept his eyes resolutely on the ground, his mouth firmly shut. '_Some friend I have,_' Hermione thought in disgust. Nothing had even happened to him, and yet he was going mute. _'We'll be having words later, Ronald Weasley,' _Hermione thought. She turned back to the others before sighing and sitting down, knowing they wanted the full story.

"It was just a normal day, a _bloody_ normal day, something that hasn't happened in a while, when it happened. We were talking, and Harry said _the name._ Of course, we didn't know of this… this… this so-called 'taboo' on it, so we weren't prepared for ten Snatchers to show up. I hit Harry with a stinging hex to mask his identity, even if only for a little while. It was better than nothing." Hermione decided to not tell them about Draco denying Harry's identity, wanting to mull it over herself. "But when we got to Malfoy Manor, that… that _bitch_, that foul, loathsome thing called Bellatrix LeStrange threatened to torture me before they brought in her _master_." The venom dripping off of Hermione's voice as she said this was unmistakable to everyone in the room.

Here, Hermione softened, looking at the form of Harry, watching his chest rise and fall with each breath. His body jerked with every other breath from the aftereffects of the cruciatus curse. "Then Harry stopped her. He told her it was him. Dammit, he even _provoked_ her, spitting in her face after she slapped him. They took Ron and I away after that, but we heard everything. She used the cruciatus on him for at least one minute, used that disgusting knife on him, and used the cruciatus again, for at least another five minutes." Hermione's breath hitched, her eyes watering as she reviewed what Harry went through. The others took notice of her discomfort and averted their eyes, trying to process what they'd been told.

Finally, Bill moved over to place a hand on Hermione's shoulder, squeezing gently. "It'll be okay." He said, looking into her eyes, her worry clearly shining through them. "We need to get Harry into a bed, and then wait. The cruciatus… well, it's got some nasty side-effects from prolonged exposure. It's not going to be easy, but he'll be okay. You got him to safety." Bill finished his statement with a reassuring squeeze of her shoulder, dropping his hand after she gave him a watery smile. Fleur stood up then, moving to Bill's side.

"There iz not much else I can do for 'Arry, but we may move 'im to ze guest room now." Fleur said, smiling gently at Hermione when she looked back down at Harry. With a kiss to Fleur's temple, Bill moved away and drew his wand, levitating Harry from the room. Hermione followed close behind, with Ron not too far away, but she didn't pay him any attention. Her attention was solely focused on the rise and fall of Harry's chest and the occasional shudder that shook his body.

Bill moved into a small room with a queen-sized bed and two armchairs, maneuvering Harry onto the center of the bed. After he finished, Bill left the room, saying he needed to help Fleur get everyone else settled. Hermione took note how pale Harry's skin was in comparison to the sheets beneath him. She sighed, taking a seat next to the head of the bed and taking hold of Harry's hand, stroking the back of it in soothing circles.

Ron stood in the hallway, awkwardly leaning against the doorframe of the room as his eyes roamed over the scene. Seeing that he was not needed nor wanted at the moment, Ron moved away towards the kitchen. Hermione noticed this absently, focusing instead on the pained features of Harry's face.

She sighed, moving closer to rub his cheek affectionately, smiling when he seemed to lean into her touch, the pain in his features diminishing somewhat. She concentrated on what she remembered reading about the aftereffects of the cruciatus. She remembered that the texts all said that the victim would have tremors for weeks. Another thing that the texts all agreed on were the psychological affects the unforgivable had on those that fell victim to it. They said that the victims would withdraw from physical contact, most likely due to the nerves in their body being hypersensitive. Hermione was grateful that this didn't seem to be the case with Harry, although he was still unconscious. She hoped this would still be the case when he woke up.

She was still holding Harry's hand three days later, as he groaned and his eyes fluttered open.

* * *

Harry groaned as he opened his eyes, feeling a familiar hand clasped in his own. Smiling slightly, he squeezed it, and looked at the owner of said hand. Hermione smiled at him, though her eyes seemed to be a bit watery. A spasm of pain racked through his body, making him grit his teeth. Hermione's face immediately took on a concerned expression.

"I wish I could ask if you're alright, but I already know both your go to answer and the real answer." Hermione said, a slight smile that was belied by the concern still visible in her eyes. Giving her a pained smile, Harry sat up a little.

"Well, I guess I can't argue with you." Harry answered, giving her a grin which came out as more of a grimace. He blushed as he realized their hands were still joined, but he made no move to change that. Looking around, Harry realized he had no clue where they were, or how they got there. "Hermione, where are we?"

"Well, when Ron and I got separated from you," Hermione's voice hitched, her eyes watering again "we were taken to a cellar. We heard everything, though _Ron_ didn't do much." Hermione spat Ron's name, her anger visible to Harry. "I met Ollivander, Luna and Dean, as well as a goblin. They were being held prisoner there, too. I remembered we were in Malfoy Manor, and then I thought of Dobby, and he came when I called for him." By now, Hermione was crying openly, making Harry's heart clench.

"Dobby got the others out of there, and brought the here, to Bill and Fleur's home. He got our things, too. Then he took us to you. We surprised LeStrange, giving us enough time to get out before she could act. We came here, and… Harry, there was so much blood." Hermione cried harder. Harry gripped her hand firmly and pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her, ignoring the spasm of pain passing through his body.

"Hermione, I'm fine now, thanks to you. You got us out of there." He said, rubbing her back. Hermione sniffled, pulling back to look Harry in the eye. Harry noticed that besides her tears subsiding, Hermione looked determined. She took a steadying breath.

"Harry, I need to tell you something. I promised myself that I'd tell you when you woke up." She looked down, making Harry worry. What could have Hermione, one of the strongest women he knew, hesitating? He watched as she seemed to gather her strength, then look back up at him.

"Harry… I'm… Well, I'm in love with you." She said, staring into his eyes, gaging his expression. Harry was positive that his shock was well on display. Hermione seemed to get more nervous as the seconds ticked by. "I know that it's not a good idea to say you love someone before you're even in a relationship, but I've felt this way since fourth year, when I realized how much you meant to me and how much I needed you. It's only grown since then. I just couldn't keep this in anymore." She looked discouraged at his lack of response. "I'm sorry if you don't feel the same-" Hermione was cut off by Harry's finger on her lip.

Coming out of his shock, Harry felt his heart flutter. Hermione felt the same way as him! Right then, it didn't matter to Harry that they were in the middle of the war, or that a madman was out for his blood, or even that he'd been tortured only days ago. Harry felt elation like no other. Nothing could compare. But right now, he needed to reassure Hermione of his own feelings.

Removing his index finger from her lip, Harry cupped her cheek with the same hand. He smiled slightly at her, suppressing the tremor of pain coursing through his body. He would not let anything ruin this moment for them.

"Hermione," he began, "I feel the same. I love you too. I've felt this since fourth year, too. I realized how much you mean to me and keep me going. I had wanted to ask you to the ball, but I was nervous to. Then you went with Krum, and I felt like the biggest idiot. You were-are- so beautiful, it takes my breath away." He finished with a soft smile, loving the way Hermione's lips curved upwards, her eyes twinkling with joyful tears.

On instinct, Harry pulled her closer, his eyes moving hers to her lips. She met him halfway, their lips meeting in a soft embrace. Hermione parted her lips slightly, allowing Harry's tongue entry. Their tongues dueled playfully until they needed to retreat for breath. Their foreheads rested upon each other, their breaths tickling one another's face. Their eyes met, both shining with the joy of requited love. Hermione's hands had somehow wound up at the nape of Harry's neck, her fingers playing with the short hair there. Harry's had found their way to her hips, bunching the fabric of her shirt.

"Does this mean we're together now?" Harry asked, knowing it sounded stupid, but feeling the need to hear Hermione vocalize what their relationship status was. Suddenly, a wave of pain overcame his senses, making him moan in pain before he could suppress it. Hermione, who had been smiling, frowned with concern as she cupped Harry's cheek. She used the other to gently push him down onto the mattress. Harry dutifully allowed her to do so, not complaining as his nerves seemed to relax a bit.

"You should rest, Harry. The pain should cease in a week or so." Hermione said, stroking Harry's short fringes away from his head. Harry nodded drowsily up at her, smiling slightly. Hermione bent down to plant a soft kiss to his lips. Before he drifted off, she said, "And the answer is yes, Harry. We're together now."

* * *

**AN: Hello, my peeps! I know I've not updated in a loooooong time. I'm sorry. Junior Year is tougher than I ever thought it could be. Looking at colleges and such, as well as getting ready to face my future on my own. I already know that I wish to join the Army and become a part of the military police, hopefully the K-9 unit. It's scary, knowing my future is less than a year away. Also, the psychological side effect of the cruciatus was inspired by ****_Vox Corporis _****by MissAnnThropic. Great story, so you should definitely give it a read. I never agree with stories that include things like an 'anti-cruciatus potion'. The cruciatus is unforgivable for a reason. I would think that there is no cure, other than time. Anyways, I'm going to see what I can do about updating both this and ****_Harry Potter and the Leap of Faith_**** on a more regular basis. Most likely thing is, though, more chapters will not be available to you guys until early spring and then summer. I hope that will work out. I also hope that you've enjoyed this chapter. I enjoyed writing it. It was a little hard to write, considering the fact that there was more one on one dialogue than I'm used to writing, but I think I did a fairly nice job. Please leave some reviews if you have the chance. I love seeing what you guys think! Constructive Criticism is appreciated, as long as it's not outright bullying. Alright, well, I hope you have a nice day/night, depending on when you read this. **


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